Chapter 9 - A Short Path

Summary

Mat consults Egeanin about Seanchan court politics and courting customs before enduring a campaign of harassment from three Aes Sedai who throw rocks and sparks at him until Teslyn secretly shields a private argument. He later learns Setalle Anan was once an Aes Sedai and makes a secret pact regarding Tuon's true intentions, then witnesses the sisters confront Tuon in her wagon over peace negotiations. Tuon ignores their demands until they corner her, at which point she uses hidden a'dam collars to subdue all three, demonstrates absolute control over their channeling, and orders Mat to remove the leashes after they agree to cease interference. He complies with the order and buries the captured ter'angreal in the rain that night.

Characters

• Mat / Cauthon / Master Cauthon — Observes Egeanin's advice on Seanchan court politics and courting customs before enduring harassment from three Aes Sedai who throw rocks and sparks at him until Teslyn secretly shields a private argument. He later learns Setalle Anan was once an Aes Sedai and makes a secret pact regarding Tuon's true intentions, then witnesses the sisters confront Tuon over peace negotiations. Tuon uses hidden a'dam collars to subdue all three, demonstrates absolute control over their channeling, and orders Mat to remove the leashes after they agree to cease interference. He complies and buries the captured ter'angreal in the rain that night.
• Egeanin / Leilwin — Corrects Mat on her name, explains the deadly nature of Seanchan Imperial succession and traditional courting gifts, then reluctantly agrees to help him despite knowing he aims too high for Tuon.
• Domon / Bayle — Sits with his new wife while smoking a pipe, commands her to stop arguing with herself, and gives Mat a warning about pursuing Tuon without her assistance.
• Tuon / Daughter of the Nine Moons (High Lady) — Listens to the Aes Sedai's demands for peace negotiations before ignoring them entirely until they corner her in her wagon. She then uses hidden a'dam collars to subdue Joline, Teslyn, and Edesina, demonstrates absolute control over their channeling, and orders Mat to remove the leashes after they agree to cease their harassment.
• Selucia — Acts as Tuon's chaperone inside the wagon, silently retrieves an a'dam collar from beneath a blanket, and swiftly collars Teslyn when the Aes Sedai attempt to pressure Tuon.
• Noal — Remains in the wagon after supper to ramble about Malkier landmarks while playing stones with Mat, then tenses for a fight when the sisters arrive before Mat signals him to stand down.
• Olver — Eats supper with the group and leaves immediately afterward to continue his games with Tuon, showing no reaction to the subsequent confrontation between the Aes Sedai and Tuon.
• Lopin — Serves a meager early-spring meal of stringy mutton and dried peas to the wagon's occupants before Mat departs for his own supper arrangements.
• Nerim — Assists in serving the meal, finds pine nuts for the peas, and sits beside Mat during their game of stones while Noal narrates Borderland wonders.
• Joline / Mabari — Enters Tuon's wagon with two other sisters to deliver an ultimatum regarding peace negotiations, only to be instantly collared by Selucia when she refuses to back down. She endures a demonstration of channeling control through the collar before Mat removes it and secures her agreement to stop bothering Tuon.
• Teslyn / Balchamber — Accompanies Joline into the wagon, screams in shock when collared, weeps silently while trapped by the ter'angreal, and quickly agrees to cease all harassment once freed by Mat.
• Edesina / Rohenar — Follows the other sisters into the wagon, flees toward the door upon seeing the collars, and is subsequently caught and collared before reluctantly agreeing to Tuon's terms.
• Bethamin — Stands gaping outside the wagon with Seta after fleeing the initial confrontation, then remains under Joline's firm instruction as a personal project for learning to channel.
• Seta — Fleeing the sisters' presence, she stands rigidly outside the wagon and shivers at the thought of watching Bethamin receive channeling lessons, realizing Aes Sedai are fundamentally different from Seanchan damane.
• Setalle / Anan (Mistress Anan) — Reveals to Mat that she was once an Aes Sedai who left the Tower and fell into poverty before marrying Jasfer, then negotiates a secret pact with him regarding Tuon's strategic game while examining his foxhead medallion.
• Blaeric — Appears briefly as Joline's Warder, falls down the wagon steps when Edesina slams the door against them, and later stands guard to protect his mistress from Mat's ter'angreal.
• Fen — Falls down the wagon steps alongside Blaeric when Edesina slams the door shut, then remains outside as a silent guard while Mat negotiates with Tuon and the collared sisters.
• Luca — Confronts Mat about accidentally revealing Tuon's High Lady status to the Aes Sedai, defending his boastful nature while worrying about the revocation of his warrant of protection.